We discuss how women already have a lot of the "toolset" necessary to be entrepreneurs. Women are naturally more extroverted and social, which helps them build and maintain networks of friends, vendors, coworkers, and others. Having the appropriate people around you and knowing how to use them to your advantage is crucial in entrepreneurship.
Whether it's balancing work and family obligations, keeping finances in check, or serving as a supervisor of the workforce, women are masters at multitasking and are always coming up with new solutions. To succeed as an entrepreneur, you need to have a can-do attitude and never give up. A woman's persistence can be unrelenting. The ability to identify a need in the market and provide a solution that "delights" the consumer is a hallmark of successful entrepreneurs.
A common thread among the businesses founded and run by women is that they cater to a demographic they are intimately familiar with - women. With an astounding total of 105 billionaires, India has risen to the third position in the world for self-made billionaires. A new and intriguing element to this story is the growing number of female billionaires, who are stealing the show. Savitri Jindal is the only woman among India's top ten wealthiest people, breaking a pattern of male dominance.
India's Richest Women 2024
The progressive dismantling of barriers can be achieved by aggressively encouraging and supporting women in business. This will enable women to participate more actively in the economy and society at large. Incorporating women's unique viewpoints, experiences, and expertise into India's entrepreneurial ecosystem helps level the playing field, and by empowering women to reach their full potential, the country can boost its economy and close the gender gap. As a bonus, female entrepreneurs play a key role in advancing gender parity, boosting the economy, solving social problems, and encouraging the next generation of women to dream big, save early, and be financially independent.
Incredible female entrepreneurs who have broken barriers, become financially independent, and achieved great success in a variety of industries hail from India. These top Indian women business owners have shown remarkable perseverance, creativity, and dedication to their dreams in fields as diverse as biotechnology, e-commerce, fashion, and education. We have compiled a list of the top 10 richest women in India in 2024 based on their net worth, which serves as a real-time rating of the billionaires.
Savitri Jindal
Savitri Jindal is the wealthiest woman in India. Following the 2005 death of her husband, O.P. Jindal, she became the heir apparent and is now the chairperson emeritus of the OP Jindal Group. In 2024, Jindal stands apart among India's top 10 wealthiest individuals as the sole female billionaire. In 2005, Jindal won a seat from Hisar in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, expanding his political career outside the realm of business. She became a cabinet minister in the Haryana government in 2013 after being re-elected in 2009.
Net worth: INR 2,39,600 crore approx. (USD 28.6 billion)
Company: Jindal Group
Industry: Steel, packaging films, and power generation
World ranking: 94
Rohiqa Cyrus Mistry
Rohiqa Cyrus Mistry is a member of an esteemed family. She was married to the late Cyrus Mistry, who was the former chairman of the Tata Group. Her father, Iqbal Chagla, was a famous lawyer. Rohiqa is the daughter-in-law of the late construction magnate Pallonji Mistry. Thanks to the shares that her late husband left her, Rohiqa Mistry rose to become one of India's wealthiest women. An 18.4 percent stake in Tata Sons is her most valuable asset. She is a mother of two. Among the new female billionaires in India in 2024, Mistry is the most recent addition.
Net worth: INR 69,802 crore approx. (USD 8.4 billion)
Company: Shares in Tata group
Industry: Shareholder
World ranking: 332
Rekha Jhunjhunwala
In place of her husband Rakesh, Rekha Jhunjhunwala takes center stage. She became one of India's wealthiest women after inheriting Rakesh Jhunjhunwala's stock holdings after he died in 2022. Many well-known companies, like Titan, Tata Motors, and Crisil, are among her 29 investments.
Net worth: INR 65,648 crore approx. (USD 7.9 billion)
Company: Titan Company Limited & others
Industry: Trading and investments
World ranking: 523
Leena Gandhi Tewari
At USV, a multinational pharmaceutical and biotech corporation, Leena Gandhi Tewari serves as chairman. Her father, Vithal Gandhi, co-founded the company with Revlon in 1961. Medication for diabetes and heart disease is USV's forte. It offers a wide variety of biosimilar medications, injectables, and APIs in its portfolio. Notably, in 2018, USV bought out Juta Pharma, a generics company based in Germany. 'Beyond Pipes and Dreams,' Leena's biography of Vithal Balkrishna Gandhi, her grandpa, was published.
Net worth: INR 39,887 crore approx. (USD 4.8 billion)
Company: USV Pharma
Industry: Pharmaceutical and biotechnology
World ranking: 852
Vinod Rai Gupta
Havells India, headed by Vinod and Anil Rai Gupta's son Anil Rai, is a powerhouse in India's electrical equipment market. The late Qimat Rai Gupta was the business's founder and husband to Vinod. Havells runs 14 product manufacturing plants and is present in over 50 countries.
Net worth: INR 37,394 crore approx. (USD 4.5 billion)
Company: Havells
Industry: Electrical equipment
World ranking: 699
Falguni Nayar
With a net worth of more than $4 billion, Falguni Nayar made her debut on the Forbes India Rich List 2022, where she debuted at position 44. Nykaa, India's largest e-commerce portal for all things wellness, fashion, and beauty, was created in 2012 by Nayar, marking the beginning of her success story.
Intending to build a one-stop shop for beauty goods, professional guidance, and personalized suggestions, Nayar—a graduate of IIM Ahmedabad—had the vision to revolutionize the beauty shopping experience in India. With her as CEO, Nykaa has grown into a household name, catering to the needs of contemporary Indian women with each new iteration. Throughout the nation, aspiring entrepreneurs look up to Falguni as an example of tenacity, flexibility, and a profound grasp of consumer tastes in her entrepreneurial journey.
Net worth: INR 29,084 crore approx. (USD 3.5 billion)
Company: Nykaa
Industry: Beauty and lifestyle
World ranking: 1164
Smita Crishna-Godrej
A prominent figure in the Godrej family, Smita Crishna-Godrej owns a substantial 20% share in the business. The acquisition of Mehrangir, the South Mumbai mansion of nuclear physicist Homi Bhabha, by Smita for Rs372 crore made headlines. Forbes reports that the 126-year-old consumer products behemoth Godrej Group, with $5.2 billion in revenue, is controlled by the Godrej family.
Net worth: INR 26,591 crore approx. (USD 3.2 billion)
Company: Godrej
Industry: Consumer goods
World ranking: 1067
Anu Aga
The engineering firm Thermax hired Anu Aga and her husband in the 1980s. She succeeded him in 1996 and ran the show. Meher Pudumjee, her daughter, succeeded her in 2004 after she stepped down. By 2022, Anu Aga had made a triumphant return to India’s Richest List, having previously been absent in 2014. Her notable parliamentary service began on April 26, 2012, when President Pratibha Patil nominated her to the Rajya Sabha. The nonprofit organization Teach for India was also co-founded by her.
Net worth: INR 24,098 crore approx. (USD 2.9 billion)
Company: Thermax
Industry: Energy and environment engineering
World ranking: 1516
Radha Vembu
Since 2007, Radha Vembu—co-founder of the technology business Zoho, based in Chennai—has served as the product manager for Zoho Mail. Her unwavering leadership in developing a product with international appeal has catapulted her to the ranks of India's wealthiest women.
Radha Vembu's wealth increased by a whopping 127% in 2021 as a result of Zoho's revenues surging above $1 billion, thanks to the company's remarkable journey. She played a crucial role in Zoho's success story, and her contributions show it. Additionally, Vembu is involved in the development of more than 45 products released by the Zoho Corporation, and he is in charge of Zoho Workplace.
Net worth: INR 17,450 crore approx. (USD 2.1 billion)
Company: Zoho Corporation
Industry: Business Software
World ranking: 1368
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw
Among India's most renowned female entrepreneurs, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw is most known for founding Biocon Limited, a prominent biopharmaceutical firm. She entered the biotech industry in India at a period when it was still in its infancy, drawing on her experience in fermentation and brewing. Kiran founded Biocon from the ground up despite encountering many obstacles and early failures. She oversaw the company's meteoric rise to biopharmaceutical sector powerhouse status, with a focus on treatments for cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune disorders.
Forbes has recognized her as one of the "World's 100 Most Powerful Women" on multiple occasions for her steadfast dedication to healthcare reform, innovation, and research. In addition to changing the biotech scene in India, her incredible journey and entrepreneurial success have encouraged many women to major in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.
Net worth: INR 22,436 crore approx. (USD 2.7 billion)
Company: Biocon
Industry: Biotechnology
World ranking: 1434
Strong and inspiring women entrepreneurs head several multi-million dollar sectors, and the number of women in business has grown significantly over the past 20 years. Seeing great businesswomen shatter stereotypes and follow their dreams is motivating, even though there's still a long way to go until more women are at the forefront of the workforce. Many women are unable to fully participate in economic activities due to long-standing cultural and societal conventions.
To cultivate an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem, it is critical to combat gender stereotypes, encourage women to take up leadership roles, and question long-established gender norms. It is important to engage communities, raise awareness, and highlight the success stories of female entrepreneurs to encourage social change and build a climate that supports women entrepreneurs. Women entrepreneurs in India can make a big impact on the country's socio-economic growth if the country has a supportive atmosphere, strong technology infrastructure, and policies that prioritize gender equality.
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